Honestly, I don't see how an intelligent person could have misunderstood him in the first place. I heard what he said the first time around, and I knew exactly what he meant. Maybe it wasn't articulated perfectly, but nevertheless, what he was implying made perfect sense to me. I have been baffled all day at the repeated stories accusing Bush of changing his mind, or whatever interpretation the news outlet had for his comments.

Anyone who thinks that the war on terrorism will eventually end is idealistic and doesn't understand the enemy. It's not like a game of chess where the opponent is completely defeated, and then the game is over and packed in the box. In that sense, the war on terrorism cannot be won. However, it can be won in a sense that the enemy is so crippled it has very limited power to operate. Even though not every terrorist is caught and every terror cell broken, capturing valuable leaders greatly hinders the cells' operation, resulting in less terror.

If I believed Bush had really changed his story on this, then I'd go along and call him out on it. This was just miscommunication, plain and simple. I guess when you're in the public eye, you have to treat the public and media like little babies and spell everything out. Even then people who really want to will be able to find some inconsistency to point out.

I always wanted to ask this question on how in the U.S.A. they work out who wins the race for the president.

1) Can every American that's over adult age vote? (Not those in prison).
2) Do they add up all the votes and who gets the most gets in?
3) How much money does it cost to run for President.

I ask this as in United Kingdom, the whole area is split into areas where M.P.'s from different Party's get votes, when they win a seat in that area they represent that constituency.
When they finish the election, the party with the most seats gets into power.

I say this as thinking about your last election AL Gore V GW Bush jnr there was a big thing about certain minorities not getting the vote and service people overseas also not having their votes counting, the news reported that it was like a difference of 600 votes, if my memory serves.

If that was the case for the U.K. that we had a vote tally rather than seats Blair would never be Priminister of the UK, ever. Labour got more seats but they got less votes.

As for people changing their minds, it's a show of maturity if they can stand up and say they got it wrong and will put it right.

1) Can every American that's over adult age vote? (Not those in prison).

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A citizen of the U.S.A. who has not been convicted of a felony can vote.

Lee said:

2) Do they add up all the votes and who gets the most gets in?

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No. If this was the case then Al Gore would have been President. There is the "Popular Vote" and then there is the actual results based on the Electoral College. The Electoral College exists, humorously, to prevent the stupidity of the population from electing the wrong person because the normal citizen isn't smart enough. Of course it gets more complicated but that's the basic purpose of it and it hasn't changed... yet.

3) How much money does it cost to run for President.

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I'm not aware of a minimum but these days the more money put toward your campaign and advertising then the better chance you have. This isn't always the case, however. I don't believe there is a minumum, though.

I always wanted to ask this question on how in the U.S.A. they work out who wins the race for the president.

1) Can every American that's over adult age vote? (Not those in prison).
2) Do they add up all the votes and who gets the most gets in?
3) How much money does it cost to run for President.

I ask this as in United Kingdom, the whole are is split into areas where M.P.'s from different Party's get votes, when they win a seat in that area they represent that constituency.
When they finish the election, the party with the most seats gets into power.

I say this as thinking about your last election AL Gore V GW Bush jnr there was a big thing about certain minorities not getting the vote and service people overseas also not having their votes counting, the news reported that it was like a difference of 600 votes, if my memory serves.

If that was the case for the U.K. that we had a vote tally rather than seats Blair would never be Priminister of the UK, ever. Labour got more seats but they got less votes.

As for people changing their minds, it's a show of maturity if they can stand up and say they got it wrong and will put it right.

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1. I think yes in most states they can unless convicted of some kind of federal crime or if they haven't lived in our country for a certain time period.

2. Well sorta kinda we have something called the ellectoral college, and in every state there are reps for the people and who ever wins the state gets the votes of those reps and that state. The reps dont have to vote for the person that won the state but they usally do because they don't want to lose there job when the next election comes and the people say u didn't vote for who we wanted, your out. So in the end after they get all the winners for every state our reps go and vote for who they want and that ho becomes president. (if I've got this wrong please some one correct me)

3. Millions and millions of dallors your average man will never be president for lack of funding, could be the smartest man on the planet but if they don't got the green they wont be hear in America, sad really if you ask me which you didn't but I still think its sad. You also ahve to be born and raised in the USA to be a president, you can be a Governor with out having been born here but not the president.

and the only reason we elect the president this way is because way back when we first started our country most people couldn't read and didn't understand what it took for a person to be a good president, so our forefathers decided that we shouldn't have a direct influence on who was elected (basically they took us our of the equation because they though we were to dumb to make a educated choice) and that may have been the case way long ago but most people now and the ones that are registered to vote have some form of education. which is why alot of people were hoping that florida wouldn't get there crap together and they would just throw out the electoral college so our votes would actually mean something. just doesn't make much since that a guy could win a state with 51% of the votes yet he gets 100% of the reps votes its a big flaw and im sure we will get rid of it sooner or later.

As with everything in America the election is decided alot by $. Also Bush rarely has a clue and does what he is told for the most part. I also don't see how illegally attacking countrys that have nothing to do with 9/11 is "fighting the war on terror". It's all just some crazy catch phrase (Bush office has created MANY) to make it look like they are doing something instead of just running around like chickens whith their heads cut off IMHO.

I honestly can't see how any American could be more afraid of terrorists then the mad man that hasn't a clue running our country.

A citizen of the U.S.A. who has not been convicted of a felony can vote.rotjong

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Not entirely true. Only currently incarcerated felons are exempt from the priviledge of voting. I was convicted of felony shoplifting while tripping on Mushrooms 20 years ago when I walked into a K-mart in Florida and changed clothes in front of God and everyone and attempted to walk out. I was still tripping in frnt of the judge when she asked me "How do you plead" and I answered I'm f%^&ing guilty b}tch! (I was also very young and very angry at the world at the time. (I wore spiked gauntlets for Christ's sakes) Consequently, I have a felony conviction on my permanant record, along with the 2 drunk and disordery and one public indecency misdemeanors. But I can still vote baby!

"A person who has been confined to a federal or state correctional institution, correctional facility, or community residence can have his/her voting rights restored by submitting written proof to a city/town Registrar of Voters or other admitting official of their discharge from confinement and, if applicable, parole. Any fines that were charged in conjunction with the felony conviction must also be paid. The Department of Correction (which can supply a release letter) and the Office of Adult Probation are responsible for notifying people of their rights to apply for voter registration. Release letters can also be obtained from a regional office of the Court Support Services Division.

A person who is currently confined to a correctional institution or facility or to a community residence is not eligible to have his/her voting rights restored.

Anyone who has been convicted of a felony after January 1, 2002 and has been sentenced to probation, not sentenced to confinement in an institution, is able to register to vote. He/She will not lose their right to vote if they are already registered. Anyone who is on parole or who has been convicted of election law violations is not eligible to register to vote.

REGISTERING TO VOTE

To apply for voter registration, the discharged ex-felon must visit the Registrar of Voters of the city or town in which they reside. Upon submitting satisfactory proof of his/her qualifications to become an elector, the person’s right to vote will be restored. If the city or town in which the person resides is different than the city/town that he/she had resided in at the time of his/her felony conviction, the latter town will be notified that the person’s voting rights have been restored."